How to score a tennis match

Transcript

Intro

Good news: with Matchside you don't need to know a lot about tennis to keep score. You just watch how each point ends, and the app does the rest.

Two ways to score

When you start a match, first choose how you'll score it. Simple mode is exactly what it sounds like: one tap per point. Shot Stats mode starts with that same tap, then lets you add how the point ended.

Simple mode

Let's start simple. Tap the player who won the point, and the score keeps itself. If the first serve misses, tap the 1st serve button — and if you saw where it went, mark it long, wide, or net. A serve that clips the net and lands in is a let. It's replayed, so just tap Let. And if your thumb gets ahead of you, there's a way to Undo any point scored.

Shot Stats: one quick question

Now for Shot Stats mode. After each point, the app asks one quick question — how did it end? — and it only takes a few seconds to answer.

Why add the detail

So why take the extra few seconds? Because every detail you add becomes something you can actually use. After every match, you'll see the numbers behind the score: aces, double faults, first-serve percentage, winners, and errors. And every point is saved, so you can look back at exactly how a big game was won — or lost. Over a season, the trends start to tell a story. Maybe the double faults are disappearing, or the first serve is getting stronger. That's something you can bring to a lesson — and real progress your player can actually see.

How points end

So, back to that question — how did the point end? Here's what to look for. Some points end on the serve. An ace is a serve the opponent can't even touch. A service winner is its close cousin: they touch it, but can't keep it in play. Once a rally's going, the most exciting finish is a winner — a shot the other player never had a chance to reach. On the other end of the spectrum is the double fault: two missed serves, and the server gives away the point.

Forced vs unforced errors

Most points, though, end with a miss. That's an error, and there are two kinds. An easy ball that is missed is an unforced error. If they were running, stretched, or rushed, it's a forced error.

After an error: describe the miss

Here's the part that trips people up. Once you mark an error, everything you pick next is about the shot that missed — not the winner's shot. So if Trevor wins the point because Ethan hits a forehand into the net, you're describing Ethan's forehand: forehand, then net. The app helps you here. It puts the name of the player who missed right above the choices.

Forehand or backhand

Next comes the stroke. A forehand is on their racket-hand side; a backhand reaches across the body.

A field guide to shot types

Shot type is optional, but once you know what to look for, each one's easy to spot. Most shots are regular, everyday rally balls — so when in doubt, pick regular. A return is the first shot back after a serve. A slice looks different: the racket chops down, so the ball floats in and stays low. Sometimes a player runs around their backhand to hit a forehand. Cross-court, that's inside-out. Straight down the line, it's inside-in. When a short ball pulls a player forward and they hit it on the way in, that's an approach. Once they're at the net, anything hit before the bounce is a volley. If the ball comes in high, they'll swing down on it like a serve. That's an overhead. A drop shot goes the other way: soft and short, dying just over the net. And there are two ways to beat a player at the net. A passing shot goes right past them, and a lob goes up and over their head.

Placement and serve targets

You can also note where it went. Cross-court is diagonal across the court. Down the line runs straight along the sideline. Serves have their own targets: out-wide, right at the player's body, or down the middle — known as the T.

Rally length

There are three ways to track rally length. You can turn on the Count Shots function and tap once for every shot. You can select the rally length while picking shot types, or leaving it blank is totally fine too.

Not sure? Skip it

And if you're ever not sure, skip it. One tap already scored the point. Every detail you add shows up in your player's stats, and in the broadcast. So tap lob, and you'll get to watch one.

Your turn

That's all there is to it: one tap per point, and as much detail as you have time for. So, at your next match, open Matchside, pick your player, and start scoring. You watch the tennis. We'll keep track of the rest. Have a great match.